The Peabody Awards

Atlanta (FX Networks)

Atlanta is an enchanting series that innovatively balances the realities of day-to-day struggles and the fantastical elements of magical realism. Centered around the struggles of three young black men trying to make it in Atlanta’s rap scene, the show follows cousins, Earnest “Earn” Marks (Donald Glover) and Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry), along with their friend Darius (Lakeith Stanfield), as they try to better their lives and that of their families. Unafraid and unapologetic, Glover delivers a trifecta of superb performance, beautiful writing, and thoughtful aesthetic engagement with an influential cultural locale. The show is a genre-bending innovation, a skillful commentary on issues ranging from police brutality and mental health to celebrity and black culture. Whether introducing us to Justin Bieber as an African-American, accompanying Earn on a date he can’t afford, staging a debate about transgender and trans-race on an alternate-world BET, or sitting with Earn as he awaits processing at the police station, Atlanta is as able to mine the surreal as the everyday for both depth and humor. For its seamless blend of vibrant character study and rich sociopolitical commentary in a detailed and textured exploration of a Southern city, Atlanta receives a Peabody Award.